Instructor Foundation Course (IFC)

The Instructor Foundation Course (IFC) is the first step in your instructor-training journey with BSAC.

It’s a great introduction to teaching diving theory and practical skills, allowing you to join BSAC's extensive network of highly skilled diving instructors – the driving force behind the club’s worldwide reputation for training excellence and safety. The course is good fun and gives you a chance to mix with divers from far and wide.

This is a great way to try out BSAC instructing - I was not only introduced to the teaching fundamentals but I learnt more about my own diving skills and got to work with divers from other BSAC clubs. I’m looking forward to putting what I learned into practice.

The two-day IFC introduces a qualified diver to the essential elements of both theory and practical diving instruction.

To enrol on the IFC you must have already successfully completed a BSAC Sport Diver course (or have equivalent certification from another recognised training agency). You must also be at least 16 years old.

In the classroom you will learn presentation techniques to successfully transfer theory knowledge to students. During in-water practical sessions, you will see in action the well-proven teaching method of demo-mimic: that is doing a perfect demonstration of skills, then asking students to mimic you.

You will develop your personal instructing skills including:

How to break down basic diving skills into easy steps.

How to successfully develop the skills of a trainee.

How to give useful feedback to trainees.

Practising your theory and practical instructing skills.

The Instructor Foundation Course includes theory sessions, teaching demonstrations, a practical skill-development session in the pool, some lesson planning, and the chance to deliver your own mini classroom lesson and mini pool lesson to a small group of three or four fellow attendees.

Once you have attended an IFC you will be an Assistant Diving Instructor. You can then begin to teach diving in a club with the help of qualified instructors.

Exactly what you will be able to teach depends on your personal diving qualification, but in essence you will be able to teach Ocean Diver and Sport Diver classroom, pool and open-water lessons under the supervision of a BSAC Open Water Instructor.

Students will be given a pack of supporting learning materials. You will need dive kit suitable for use in a pool, including a single cylinder and a demand valve with an alternative source, and an optional pool suit and weights. You will also need writing materials, a pool slate, and access to diving manuals and books and simple visual aid materials.

Thoughts from new instructor, Claire Skidmore...

Your next steps – developing your skills

After completing the Instructor Foundation Course you will be able to practise your instructing skills in your BSAC club, with the help of other nationally qualified instructors. Having consolidated your skills, your options for instructing significantly expand.

If you are a Sports Diver, you will need to develop your personal diving skills to Dive Leader before you can expand your instructing options further.

If you are a Dive Leader, you can become a nationally qualified classroom instructor by taking the Theory Instructor exam.

If you are a Dive Leader, you can develop your open-water instructing skills by signing up to an Open Water Instructor course.

You could develop specific skills to expand your personal diving interests further. Imagine learning to drive a dive boat or becoming an underwater photographer. Check out the Skill Development Courses (SDCs) you can get involved in.